The Ultimate Diagnosis Quiz

Who hasn't had an achy knee, odd bump, or other strange symptom? Sometimes those symptoms can be harmless, and sometimes they can point to a much bigger health problem. So how symptoms-savvy are you? Test your skills with our ultimate diagnosis quiz.

Start Quiz »

You scored

0 out of 20

Question 1 of 20

A 35-year-old woman comes into your office complaining of constipation. Which one of these diseases is most likely NOT the cause?

Chagas disease

Depression

GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease)

Though GERD can cause nausea, sore throats and chest pain, constipation is not typically associated with it. Depression and Chagas disease can both cause constipation.

Question 2 of 20

A 49-year-old man is complaining of a fever and dizziness that doesn’t get better when he rests or drinks a lot fluid. What could it be?

Middle ear infection

Dizziness is a symptom of all these conditions, but a fever is indicative of a middle ear infection.

Anemia

High blood pressure

Question 3 of 20

An 18-year-old girl comes in complaining of being bloated but also losing her appetite. What is your diagnosis?

Gastroenteritis (stomach flu)

Though all these conditions list bloating as a symptom, Gastroenteritis is the only one that can also cause a loss of appetite.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Gallstones

Question 4 of 20

According to one study in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings, what percentage of medical intensive care unit patients were misdiagnosed?

15 percent

20 percent

More than 20 percent

The study found that 26 percent of cases were misdiagnosed, which is a fair number considering other studies have found up to 40 percent of patients are misdiagnosed.

Question 5 of 20

Approximately 15 percent of patients don’t actually need this common surgery. Name it:

Appendectomy

According to a University of Washington study, even with tests like computed tomography (CT), ultrasound and laparoscopy, appendicitis is misdiagnosed in 15 percent of patients.

Hysterectomy

Angioplasty

Question 6 of 20

An older woman walks in to your office with swollen legs and yellow fingernails. You notice that her toenails are also yellow. She also complains of respiratory issues. What is causing her symptoms?

Yellow Nail Syndrome

A rare disorder, Yellow Nail Syndrome causes extreme yellowing of the fingernails and toenails and swelling of body tissue due to a buildup of protein-rich fluid.

Lymphedema

Fungal Infection

Question 7 of 20

A two-year-old comes to your office scratching his arm and has a small, raised bump on his arm with a red circular area surrounding it. What is your diagnosis?

Ant attack

Spider bite

Though all these bites begin with a raised, red bump, spider bites are typically combined with a red circle surrounding the bite. Most are harmless, but if you develop a fever or chills or a fluid-filled blister, go to a doctor. These symptoms may signal a poisonous spider bite.

Mosquito bite

Question 8 of 20

Your next appointment shows up complaining of speech impairment, difficulty walking and symptoms of dementia. She says her symptoms have been growing steadily worse. You also notice a yellow tint to her skin and visible signs of weakness. What is your diagnosis?

Hyponatremia

Graves Disease

Wilson's Disease

Wilson’s Disease, a genetically inherited disorder, is caused by a buildup of copper in the body’s tissues. If left untreated, it can cause liver disease, dysfunction of the central nervous system and even death.

Question 9 of 20

A patient comes to your office with a bulge on his testicle. It’s not causing any pain or discomfort, but it’s worrisome to him. Which of these conditions is probably NOT the cause?

Testicular Cancer

All these diseases share a symptom: a lump or swelling on the testes. However, while varioceles and hydroceles are painless, testicular cancer patients complain of dull aches and pain around the lump.

Variocele

Hydrocele

Question 10 of 20

A 55-year-old woman comes in with hand tremors. What question most likely WON’T help make a diagnosis?

Do hand tremors run in your family?

How much caffeine do you drink?

Are you eating enough protein?

Protein doesn't affect the central nervous system. However, hand tremors can run in the family, and drinking too much caffeine can exacerbate symptoms.

Question 11 of 20

A pale five-year-old boy comes into your office with complaints about bruising easily and bleeding gums. What could be the cause?

Leukemia

Though there are many other signs, pale complexion, bruising, and bleeding gums are common symptoms of leukemia.

Scurvy

Brushing his teeth too hard

Question 12 of 20

An obese woman who smokes came in the ER complaining of tingling in her left arm and difficulty walking. What is your diagnosis?

Stroke

Obesity and smoking both put people at risk for strokes. Though all conditions include lack of coordination as a symptom, ataxia is most common in children and Creutzfeldt Jakob disease is only found in one out of one million people.

Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease

Ataxia (Louis-Bar Syndrome)

Question 13 of 20

A patient walks in to your office with dark red, irregular patches of skin and unusual overgrowths of cartilage. Sections of her skeleton are beginning to look deformed. What is your diagnosis?

Fucosidosis

Maffucci Syndrome

Maffucci Syndrome, named after Italian pathologist Angelo Maffucci, is characterized by the presence of cartilage cysts and red, benign tumors called hemangioma.

Ollier Disease

Question 14 of 20

A woman comes in to her appointment having lost weight inexplicably with strange lesions on her skin. She’s had a few for years, but more and more are starting to appear. What is your diagnosis?

Degos Disease

Kohlmeier Disease

Both

Degos Disease, or Kohlmeirer Disease, is an extremely rare disorder in which small and medium-sized arteries become blocked. This restriction of blood flow causes skin lesions that can last from weeks to years. Extreme cases can affect multiple organs causing abdominal pain, diarrhea and/or weight loss.

Question 15 of 20

A lethargic young man walks into your office and appears to be disoriented. He tells you that he has been eating and sleeping nonstop for the past week and has been very irritable whenever awake. What is your diagnosis?

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Kleine-Levin Syndrome

Kleine-Levin Syndrome is found primarily in adolescent males. An exact cause is unknown, but scientists believe the desire to oversleep and overeat is caused by a malfunction of the hypothalamus in the brain.

Narcolepsy

Question 16 of 20

Worried about her child’s development, a mother comes to your office with her son. After an examination, you notice his feet are abnormally large, especially compared to the rest of his body. His jaw and front of his skull seem to be enlarged as well. What is your diagnosis?

Acromegaly

Acromegaly is a slow-developing disorder of the pituitary gland that causes the enlargement of certain body parts. Extreme cases can result in gigantism.

Cushing Syndrome

Hypopituitarism

Question 17 of 20

A mother comes into your office with her two-year-old daughter who is beginning to lose basic motor and communication skills. You also notice the child is having involuntary hand gestures. What is your diagnosis?

Angelmand Syndrome

Rett Syndrome

Rett Syndrome is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder that appears mostly in females. Children with the disorder typically show no signs until seven to 18 months of age when they may begin to lose motor skills and the ability to communicate.

Autism

Question 18 of 20

A man comes into your office complaining of a swollen right leg. He claims that ever since he returned from vacation in Tahiti, he has been experiencing fever, chills and headaches. What do you think the culprit is?

Filariasis

Filariasis is an infectious disease, commonly acquired in the tropics, by small, threadlike parasites that are often transmitted to humans by mosquitos. Patients suffer from flu-like symptoms initially before their lymph nodes become obstructed, cause swelling of the extremities.

Lymphedema

Influenza

Question 19 of 20

A 40-year-old man walks into your office limping. A heavy smoker, he complains of a progressing numbness and tingling of his legs. You notice lesions along his legs as well. What is your diagnosis?

Dermatitis

Gout

Buerger's Disease

Buerger’s Disease, primarily found in young or middle-aged men who smoke tobacco, causes a narrowing and blockage of veins leading to the extremities.

Question 20 of 20

A patient comes to your office complaining of swollen, painful joints. He has had a fever recently and has broken out in a hive-like rash all over his body. What is your diagnosis?

Pseudogout

Lupus

Schnitzler Syndrome

Schnitzler Syndrome, caused by an elevated level of the protein monoclonal IgM gammopathy in the blood, results in a red, hive-like rash and painful, swollen joints.